Australia hit back

Friday 18 January 2008 00:01 BST

Australia took four wickets in an enthralling morning session on the third day of the third Test to leave India reeling on 158 for five at the WACA.

India extended their first-innings lead to 276 runs mainly thanks to an unbeaten 45 from nightwatchman Irfan Pathan as Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly were all dismissed by a rejuvenated Australian attack.

Starting the day on 54 for 1, Sehwag and Pathan made useful progress, although the former was handed a reprieve when Michael Hussey grassed a straightforward catch in the gully after the opener had attempted an expansive drive to a delivery from Brett Lee.

Fortunately for the Australians, Hussey's error was not to prove costly as the following over Stuart Clark managed to get one through bat and pad to bowl Sehwag for 43 and leave India on 79 for two.

Dravid quickly followed his colleague back to the pavilion when he nicked Lee's away swinger into the gloves of wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist having made just three.

Tendulkar joined Pathan, who was proving more capable with the bat than his more illustrious colleagues, in the middle but the Indian talisman's stay did not last too long as the impressive Lee trapped him lbw in the crease for 13 to leave India wobbling on 116 for four.

That became 125 for five when Ganguly departed without troubling the scorers after edging Mitchell Johnson to Michael Clarke at first slip but Pathan and VVS Laxman managed to reach lunch without further mishap.